【Desire Traveler】(1-3)

(I) The Warmth of Hometown
"Tell me, besides complaining and accomplishing nothing these past few years, what have you done for this family?"
The wife walked out of the kitchen, took off her apron, and threw it in Da Dong's face before walking into the room without looking back. A
moment later, she returned to the living room, slammed the bank debit card onto the table in front of him, and
said in an icy tone, "Take this and buy some alcohol. You'd better drink yourself to death, do you hear me? You'd better drink yourself to death and never come back
." She stood stiffly in front of Da Dong, seemingly certain that her husband would not even pick up the card. Her face
was expressionless, like an outsider.
This face was particularly irritating to Da Dong. He could no longer remember his wife's once beautiful face
, or the sweet smile she wore when they were dating. When had that face stopped giving him a kind look? He fell into
deep thought, finally remembering that it started the year he made his bold promise to make a name for himself, only to suffer a crushing defeat
. From that moment on, he became a parasite in this family, his position as head of household a mere formality.
"What? You wouldn't dare drink yourself to death? Are you even a man?"
Poverty breeds misery, and their relationship was filled with nothing but arguments. To support the family, his wife returned to
her old job as a customer service representative, earning a meager salary of just over 20,000 yuan a month, yet the family was still constantly struggling financially
.
But compared to himself, she had made a significant contribution. Although he knew he wasn't cut out for business, bad luck had
struck, and saying it would only earn him his wife's sarcastic remarks. Over the years, he had long since seen through the coldness and indifference of the world
, spending his days indulging in alcohol. His next step, besides death, was that he had nothing left to cherish in this world
.
"You spineless coward! I must have been blind to marry you. If it weren't for you, I could have chosen anyone else and
still be a pampered wife wherever I went. And you? What will you give me in return? Tell
me!"
Da Dong was already used to his wife's aggressive questioning; it wasn't hard to adapt to. What hurt was his own unfulfilled
ambitions.
If there was anyone in this world he still cared about, it was only his mother back home.
Thinking of this, Da Dong raised his head, took a deep breath, and
said to his wife in an almost muttering tone, "There's no need to pressure me anymore. I'm going back to my hometown tomorrow, so you won't get in my way." Having said that, he seemed to become
a different person, having found the only goal he had had in recent years, and resolutely walked out of the house.
Regardless of what tomorrow brings, he needs to get drunk tonight. His wife, however, received an unexpected 　　answer 　　and 　　stood 　　frozen 　　in 　　place 　　, 　　speechless
. 　　****************
... 　　"Sigh, women are just all talk, my friend! Having someone to listen to you is a blessing. Like me, I came from the mainland 　　and made a living this way, but when I got home, it was cold and lonely. It was incredibly 　　painful." 　　Old Zhang sometimes talked like a machine gun, but his words stirred up deep 　　memories of Da Dong's mother, his kind and gentle mother. When he needed warmth, she was never stingy with it; when he 　　fell and got hurt, she was the first to comfort him. 　　Although he had never heard her talk about his father, some gossipy relatives implied she was promiscuous in her youth, and he himself wasn't sure 　　who her father was, but none of that was true. His mother was an elegant woman, and although she was old, 　　that didn't diminish her high place in his heart. 　　"Alright, Mom's getting old. No matter how unfilial I am, I have to go back and visit her, don't you think?" Da Dong 　　tossed his head back, downed the liquor, and slammed his glass on the table with a loud "bang." "That's right, I really am an unfilial 　　son." 　　The side dishes in front of him suddenly twisted and deformed, and tears involuntarily streamed down his cheeks. Thinking of his mother, all the grievances 　　suddenly surged into his heart, and Da Dong struggled to suppress his emotions that were on the verge of collapse. 　　When he left his hometown, Da Dong was twenty-one years old. He could no longer remember his original intention for leaving his hometown; the only thing he 　　remembered was the way home. 　　Old Zhang served two more dishes and simply sat down opposite Da Dong. "No business tonight, Old Zhang will have 　　a few drinks with you. Here! I'll pay for the food and drinks, don't haggle." 　　The two drank a few cups and chatted happily. When men talk about their hometowns, they inevitably touch upon their longing for their mothers. Mothers, like 　　hometowns, evoke both heartache and reluctance. 　　Old Zhang, recalling his mother on the other side of the world, couldn't help but burst into tears. Then, with 　　snot and tears streaming down his face, he sang "Mom, please take care of yourself" with great emotion. Da Dong, on the other hand, couldn't squeeze out a single tear. The strange tune of the mainlander singing in Hokkien made 　　him both laugh and cry. 　　"Why haven't you called?" Old Zhang asked curiously after calming down a bit. 　　"That place is remote, there aren't many streetlights, and few households have telephones. To be honest... after so many years, 　　I've completely forgotten about it." 　　"I understand, it's the same in my hometown. By the way! Your old, whatever-or-other agency business of yours ended 　　? What happened?" 　　It's true that good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels fast. Although Da Dong doesn't care much about these kinds of questions anymore, he sincerely hopes 　　no one will bring it up again. "Yeah! All talk and no action. Would you believe me if I said I met the wrong person?" 　　"Oh dear! Business with shareholders is always difficult! It wasn't a partnership with a relative, was it?" 　　"Yes, it was a relative. The other party is my wife's brother-in-law. I can't blame him, I was too naive 　　. I didn't consider the risks of difficulty in promoting the business beforehand. When money had to be poured in to solve the problem, can 　　I blame him for withdrawing at the last minute?"

Old Zhang seemed to still be enjoying himself, but just then a customer arrived. Muttering a curse under his breath, he still had to attend to business. His fellow villager
reluctantly left the bench, and the conversation finally ended.
************
It was already past seven in the morning when Da Dong boarded the train. He hadn't slept
a wink all night, and the train's rhythmic clattering made him yawn repeatedly and unconsciously drift off to sleep.
He didn't remember the plot of his dream, and when he opened his eyes, they had just arrived at their destination.
He got into a taxi, told the driver what he wanted, and set off. The familiar scenery rushed past, and he
was mentally calculating what excuse he should give his mother if she asked why he hadn't come back. He was worried about why his wife
hadn't come along; after all, she had never met her daughter-in-law. He had no good answer for this, and while he pondered this,
an hour had passed, and the car had arrived at the village entrance.
The scene at the village entrance was largely unchanged, as expected, except for the many unfamiliar faces. This
village clearly received few visitors, and the tradition of word-of-mouth communication remained unchanged. He noticed
a new convenience store had opened at the village entrance, and the road leading out had been carefully paved with asphalt. A bus stop sign stood beside the intersection
. Several gossipy women near the store were sizing up this stranger and whispering amongst themselves.
Aside from a polite nod, he didn't stop.
The closer he got to his hometown, the more anxious he became.
"I wonder how my mother is doing, whether she's healthy, what she's doing now,
what her expression will be when she sees me. Will she cry tears of joy, or… her hair must be quite white now? Maybe she'll scold me a bit
… no… my mother doesn't scold people…"
So many questions needed answers. On his anxious journey home, the image of his hometown finally came into view.
He hesitated outside the fence, wondering whether he should push the gate open now. He carefully examined the exterior of his old home. The red
brick walls looked even more weathered, the bamboo fence appeared to be on the verge of collapse,
and the yard seemed neglected for a long time, overgrown with weeds. The heavy door, however, remained exactly as it had been when he left.
A surge of emotion welled up inside, and he mustered his courage to push the door open.
The wooden planks creaked against each other, echoing in the empty house.
The simple furniture was covered in a thick layer of dust, and the old home seemed to have been uninhabited for a long time. His
heart sank to the bottom: "Does Mother no longer live here?"
He looked around anxiously, and the longer he stayed, the more panicked he became.
Just as he was forced to accept the fact that it was too late to return home and that his mother had long since disappeared, an
old woman with a full head of silver hair called out from outside. Da Dong hurriedly asked her where his mother was: "Grandma, do you know
where the people who used to live here moved to?"
The silver-haired old woman's simple face did not have the usual guarded look of city dwellers. She glanced at him and then said:
"Moved? I haven't heard that Shujing moved."
"Yes, yes, Shujing is my mother. I want to ask, where did she go? Did she go on a long trip or..."
"You are Shujing's son? Ah! Oh my! Da Dong? Yes, you are indeed Da Dong. No wonder you look
familiar. I almost didn't recognize you." The silver-haired old woman laughed heartily, her eyes narrowing to slits.
"You are..."
The silver-haired old woman patted his face, overjoyed, and said, "You silly boy,
I thought you'd become smarter after going to the city, but you're still a simpleton. I'm Aunt Chun, your mother used to bring you to my house to fetch water when you were little
, have you forgotten?"
Upon hearing her mention it, Da Dong suddenly remembered that the silver-haired old woman in front of him was his former neighbor, Aunt Chun. When he left
home, her hair was only half-gray. "It really is Aunt Chun, long time no see, I didn't recognize you."
"Yes! It's been more than ten years since you left. The house is old, people get old, and
when they get old they become confused, and they die confused too...sigh." Aunt Chun sighed as she spoke.
"Aunt Chun, then my mother..." Aunt Chun shook her head, the smile on her face 　　vanishing
instantly, "Your mother...sigh...died a long time ago."
********** ... 　　Upon learning of his mother's death, Aunt Chun led him to her grave. He finally broke down in tears 　　, all his grievances, resentment, and sorrow pouring out in that moment. 　　Why was everything in his life so rushed? His career failure, his broken family, his mother 　　's passing—his surroundings were filled with imperfections. Even his last hope had been snatched away unnoticed. What was even more heartbreaking 　　was that he was powerless to salvage anything beautiful. 　　Da Dong, his eyes red and swollen, sobbed painfully. Even setbacks in his career and family had never caused him 　　such heartache. The grief of wanting to care for his parents but finding them gone felt like a sharp blade tearing at his heart. 　　The only thing he cherished in this world—family—was now gone. 　　After a long while, he forced himself to return inside and stood motionless before his mother's dressing table. 　　The image of his mother combing her hair at the dressing table was still vivid in his mind. She would always ask him as she did so, " 　　Does this look good?" 　　"Mom is the most beautiful," 　　he would reply, no matter how many times he answered. She would patiently ask him the same question. Even when he got annoyed and didn't want to answer 　　, she never got angry. 　　In this rural area, his mother was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman. In Da Dong's heart, his mother was not only beautiful, 　　but also the gentlest woman in the world. 　　His mother was kind and understanding by nature, never harsh with him. Even when he got into a foolish fight with the neighbor's child, 　　she would only ask worriedly, "Does it hurt? Is anything sore?" 　　The past was too painful to recall; these memories now felt like whips lashing at him. Da Dong knelt down, 　　choking back tears as he confessed, "But I never asked you, I didn't even see you one last time. I 　　'm such an unfilial son… Mom, forgive me, please forgive me. If I hadn't left you back then, perhaps…" 　　Da Dong suddenly stopped. He suddenly remembered that his mother had only once seriously admonished him in her life— 　　the night before he was about to leave on a long journey. 　　That night, his mother was completely different from usual, and because of that, he remembered it vividly.

After he packed his bags, his mother came to his room. The two sat on the edge of the bed, shoulder to shoulder.
His mother's expression was serious. After a pause, she said, "My child, tomorrow you will go to find your own path in life.
You have decided to do this because it is fate. I know this place cannot fulfill your ambitions, and
I also know that one day you will leave me. I knew this from the day you were born."
"Mom..."
His mother placed her hand to his lips, "Let me finish..." She looked at her son and continued, "You've grown up
. It's time to make your own way in the world. But life is full of disappointments, and the path to success is inevitably fraught with
setbacks. When you encounter adversity, you must be patient and never underestimate yourself. Remember my words: after you leave here tomorrow
, don't come back. Remember! Don't come back to see me."
"Mom, why?"
"Promise me!" His mother's serious and resolute tone took Da Dong quite by surprise. For a moment, he didn't know how to
react.
"My child, promise me!"
"I...I promise."
Hearing her son's promise, his mother finally breathed a sigh of relief, and at that moment, she seemed to have aged considerably.
"But I don't understand, why..."
"Silly child, I don't say it because you don't understand now, but one day... until that day comes
, you won't need to understand. When the time comes, you'll naturally understand." His mother's kind smile returned, and she touched
his face with deep reluctance, saying, "Of course I'm reluctant to part with you. It's not that I'm heartless; I just hope you can
do what you want without any worries. I'll take care of myself, so don't worry." His mother then returned to her
room.
Da Dong couldn't sleep that night; his mother's words haunted him.
The next day, he never imagined it would be the last time his mother and son would see each other.
At their parting, his mother casually remarked, "Next time we meet, act like a grown man."
However, Da Dong could only gaze at the empty house and the cold tombstone.
****************
Da Dong arrived at his mother's grave early in the morning. He had barely arrived when Aunt Chun also came to the small hill.
More than a decade had been wasted, just as his mother had predicted. The hardships he endured during his struggles were unspeakable to
outsiders, and he had failed his mother's expectations. Therefore, he didn't intend to use this as
a topic for reminiscing with Aunt Chun. However, he had many questions to ask Aunt Chun about his mother's life these past few years.
"Shujing is a woman who has resigned herself to her fate. Her life hasn't changed much since you left, except that she
sees the neighbors less and less, and every time they meet, she seems so quiet."
"Quiet?"
"Yes, very quiet, not saying much. Actually, everyone in the neighborhood knows that Shujing
misses you too much."
Da Dong felt a pang of pain in his heart.
"Sigh... I understand the hearts of parents everywhere. She appeared strong on the surface, but she was suffering terribly inside."
"Is that so..." He stared blankly at the cold tombstone and asked, "Was Mom not doing well?"
Aunt Chun waved her wrinkled hand, "Oh dear, how could life be easy for someone alone? This village is so
small, you could hear a pin drop at night, let alone her chanting scriptures and seeking peace of mind
. It's only natural."
He suddenly realized that his mother had been sustained by religious faith these past few years. "What did she chant?"
"I'm not really sure, but it was always the same few lines, which got boring easily. I admire
her quite a bit."
"How did my mother die?"
"No pain, no illness. The doctor said it was due to excessive depression. Sigh, it's such a pity she was so young."
Hearing the words "excessive depression," Da Dong's tears welled up uncontrollably.
A brief silence fell between them. After a moment, Aunt Chun stood up and said to him, "Shujing stayed
in her room almost every day before she died. I think she probably got sick from being cooped up."
Aunt Chun took a few steps back the way she came, then turned back and said a few more words, "Your mother's death is a fact. Thinking too much
won't help. You need to grieve in moderation. If you're going to stay here for a while, come visit me when you have time, okay
?" With that, she disappeared with faltering steps at the end of the hillside path.
Da Dong spent half a day at his mother's grave before finally walking back to his hometown from the hill. The rural village wasn't as resource-rich as the city
; without electrical appliances, there was no modern entertainment. He could only find solace in the convenience store at the village entrance
.
Due to its remote location and sparse population, the store's goods, while not as plentiful as in the city, were still sufficient.
The store manager, Ah Xiong, lived on the other side of the village and unconsciously displayed a slight
sense of superiority about working in an air-conditioned office.
The two men's conversations were completely different, rarely intersecting. Ah Xiong wasn't a talkative person, and Da Dong couldn't stay for more than half an hour before
returning to his hometown.
He began to understand that his mother's life was just like this—plain and uninteresting.
A
gentle afternoon breeze blew, and drowsiness crept in. He hoped to see his mother in his dreams, so he quickly
fell asleep at the dressing table.
When he woke up, night had fallen, and his mother hadn't appeared in his dream. Da Dong felt a little disappointed.
After a simple dinner, another boring period ensued. He suddenly remembered Aunt Chun talking about his mother chanting scriptures
and thought, "Perhaps this is a good way to pass the time. Where could the scriptures be?"
He searched everywhere but found no books resembling scriptures. Thinking carefully, perhaps the scriptures were buried with his mother —a plausible deduction. Just as he was about to give up the search, he inadvertently 　　saw a few lines of text behind
the dressing mirror . 　　Da Dong excitedly pushed open the dressing table. Two lines of hastily written characters were etched side by side on the old wall. The upper line read 　　: "The eighth day of the tenth month, Xingling burned," and the lower line read: "His guest, the clerk, Ming Shi, slightly." 　　His heart sank. These two passages were too profound if they were scriptures, and they didn't rhyme if they were poetry 　　. The handwriting didn't seem to be his mother's, but his mother had been the only one here for the past ten years. There was no reason why she wouldn't know 　　them.

Da Dong stared blankly at the characters on the wall, a strange sense of familiarity washing over him, though he couldn't quite make out
their exact form.
He searched inside and outside the house, but found no books besides these two lines.
Unless another scripture had indeed been buried with his mother, these fourteen characters on the wall must have some meaning.
He found paper and pen in his suitcase and copied the characters down, studying them intently for a long time. Although scriptures are mostly phonetic
combinations, prioritizing pronunciation while the actual meaning might come from foreign languages, making interpretation difficult
, he remained enthusiastic about everything concerning his mother.
The next day, Da Dong hopefully showed the two lines to Aunt Chun, thinking the old lady might be more
knowledgeable about such things. But Aunt Chun frowned and shook her head: "What scripture is this again? Aunt Chun doesn't know many characters; I ca
n't help you!"
Da Dong patiently read out the pronunciation of each character again, but Aunt Chun still looked blank.
Aunt Chun simply called over a few neighbors, some of whom had some knowledge of this subject, but everyone was still at a loss
.
"This doesn't look like scripture, it looks more like a riddle or something."
"It shouldn't be, maybe it's a spell."
After a lively discussion, they still couldn't reach a conclusion. Da Dong, frustrated, returned to his old home and stared at the wall
. After several comparisons, he confirmed that it was identical to the cheat sheet on the paper, but what did those two lines mean to his mother
?
"If Mom recites it day and night, it must have some meaning."
The longer he pondered, the more agitated he became. He casually threw the cheat sheet on the table. Just as he was about to go outside for some fresh air, a thought
suddenly flashed through his mind, and he noticed something strange.
"Huh! It really looks like it." He picked up the cheat sheet again and compared it to the writing on the wall, his hands inexplicably trembling
.
"How is this possible? It's...it's too similar." Da Dong stared wide-eyed, hardly believing his eyes
, exclaiming, "This...the handwriting is so similar to what I wrote on paper!"
Although the handwriting on the wall looked old and slightly blurred, the strokes and overall structure were identical. Da
Dong's heart skipped a beat, and he involuntarily muttered to himself, "Could I have written this?"
He frantically searched his memory for clues, every detail of his past life here, but he had no
recollection of this event.
"But the handwriting is so similar, no wonder it looks so familiar. If it's not me, then
who is it? If it is me, why don't I remember it at all?"
**********
After this significant discovery, Da Dong's thoughts drifted into his long-forgotten memories. For the next few days, he
pondered repeatedly, but made no progress.
Perhaps Aunt Chun could offer some help regarding his past memories, so Da Dong went to Aunt Chun's house again.
"Your mother was the most beautiful woman in our village when she was young. A graceful lady is sought after by gentlemen, so naturally she had
many suitors. I never heard of her getting close to any young man. But not long after, she was heavily pregnant, and that baby
was you."
"And my father…"
"There's a lot of gossip going on. I dare not say what I don't know."
"Aunt Chun, please tell me, what exactly happened?"
"Uh…it was probably over thirty years ago. That year, the rainy season was particularly late. Shujing had just come to my house
to fetch water in the evening when a young man she'd never seen before came to her house. I heard he was a distant relative or something…sigh, I'm getting old
and my memory is failing me. I only remember that your mother's pregnancy really caused Old Cui a lot of trouble."
"Who is Old Cui?"
Aunt Chun pointed to the village entrance and said, "Old Cui is Cui Yingxiong's father. Ah Xiong, haven't you seen him?
That silly boy at the convenience store is Ah Xiong. Everyone in the village knows that Old Cui used to be in love with your mother!
No matter who Shujing got close to, Old Cui couldn't resist, and then she got a swollen belly, that was terrible."
Da Dong unexpectedly discovered a story about his father. He guessed that Aunt Chun wouldn't hide anything from him, so it seemed that the focus
had to shift to Old Cui. Perhaps, following this clue could reveal more about his mother's past, and
perhaps this could help decipher the mystery of the two lines of text on the wall.
He went into the store and asked Ah Xiong about his father. Ah Xiong stammered, "My dad...
he rarely goes out now, he's old... his legs aren't very good."
"Can I see him?"
Ah Xiong didn't refuse. After instructing the shop assistant to watch the counter, the two left the village entrance and headed towards the place where his mother was buried
.
"This direction..." Ah Xiong scratched his head and said, "It's just ahead. My dad said the scenery is good on the hill,
so he moved there a few years ago, built a house, and settled down."
Da Dong thought, "Isn't that near my mother's grave? Aunt Chun said it's true that Old Cui admired my mother.
Sigh, she's gone now, this is really too much of a devotion."
However, he didn't remember Old Cui at all. It was only a ten-minute walk from his hometown to the village entrance
, so they shouldn't have never met. He guessed that Old Cui was avoiding him because he harbored resentment, and he was afraid he would
n't be friendly when they met.
While they were thinking, the two of them had already climbed the hill. There was indeed a low house in front of them. Ah Xiong pushed open the door, and the two of them had to
duck slightly to go inside.
The light inside was dim. After Da Dong's eyes adjusted, he saw an old man sitting
in a wicker chair with his back to them. This person must be Old Cui. It was easy to see his mother's grave from this direction.
"Dad, someone wants to see you."
Old Cui didn't move or answer.
Ah Xiong whispered in Da Dong's ear, "My dad had a stroke a few years ago, and his hearing isn't what it used to be. Wait a minute, I 'll
call him closer."
Ah Xiong patted Lao Cui's shoulder and raised his voice, "Dad, someone wants to see you!"
Lao Cui then let out an "Oh" and slowly and laboriously stood up from his chair.
At that moment, Da Dong also imitated Ah Xiong and said loudly, "Uncle Cui, I'm Da Dong, and Shu Jing is my mother."
Hearing Da Dong say this, Lao Cui, who had finally straightened up, froze on the spot. "Nonsense,
when did Shu Jing have a child? It's just..." Lao Cui said angrily, turning around as he...
Upon seeing Da Dong, he was visibly shocked, his lips trembling as he cried out, "It's you!"
Old Cui stumbled backward, but fortunately, Ah Xiong caught him in
time. His eyes widened as if he wanted to devour Da Dong whole.
"You...you...shameless heartless man! You betrayed Shu Jing and still have the nerve to stand here ? Get out
of here!"
Da Dong was bewildered by Old Cui's intense reaction, but he had a gut feeling that the two had met before. To find out the truth,
he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Uncle Cui, have we met before?"
Old Cui pointed at him, his fingers trembling, "I'd recognize you even if you were ashes! Humph! Hypocritical...Ah Xiong, get
this guy out of here!"
The conversation couldn't continue. Ah Xiong pulled Da Dong away from the low house, muttering, "Sigh, my dad's hot-tempered
and often loses his temper. I never thought he'd start cursing at everyone he sees."
Da Dong couldn't understand why Old Cui reacted so strongly, but this path had now become a dead end.
The two returned to the convenience store, each lost in their own thoughts. A little girl from the village was playfully cuddling with the sales assistant at the counter.
Da Dong, feeling annoyed, wanted to buy some alcohol to cheer himself up. As he pulled out some change from his pocket, he accidentally dropped the cheat sheet. The little
girl picked it up, and Da Dong didn't stop her. The innocent girl began to read aloud: "Date, time, place
..."
Da Dong stared at the little girl in surprise: "What? What did you say?"
He snatched the cheat sheet, staring intently at the two lines of text he already knew by heart. He finally realized the
secret, suddenly understanding that he had been making a huge mistake all along.
(So...so...it wasn't two lines of horizontal writing, but...) Da Dong now completely understood.
The two lines weren't horizontal at all, but vertical paragraphs. The problem was that the paper was full of misspelled words,
making it difficult to decipher.
Da Dong examined it carefully, as if he had found a treasure. The correct interpretation of the fourth paragraph was: "Date, time,
place, name, midnight, burn."
But what did the eight characters in the fourth paragraph mean? Ah Xiong, the little girl, and the younger sister
watched Da Dong's excited face with suspicion. In the blink of an eye, he dashed out of the convenience store and disappeared.
************
What kind of clue is this? Da Dong quickly realized that the correct meaning of "八目" (ba mu) is "八字" (ba zi).
"目" (mu) and "自" (zi) differ by one stroke. Because the wall was old, that crucial stroke had brittled and
disappeared over time. Therefore, "自" (zi) is a misspelling of "字" (zi). The truth of these seven segments was now clear.
Da Dong examined the literal information: "Date, Time, Location, Name, Eight Characters." The first five segments were fill-in-
the-blank questions, easy to understand. The last two segments, "Midnight, Burning," presumably referred to burning the note at midnight.
(But what time should the date, time, and location be? What would happen if it were burned after being written?)
The puzzles piled up, leaving Da Dong increasingly perplexed. He realized his mother might have known the meaning of those words all along
, but why hadn't the writer made it clear from the start?
(Was it to prevent others from seeing it and doing something? If so… then these words were
definitely written for his mother.) Da Dong vaguely felt that the person who wrote these words knew his mother well. If it hadn't been for the coincidence
that the little girl saw them, he might still be in the dark. If it wasn't important, then his mother wouldn't
have hidden these words behind the dressing table.
He thought to himself, fifteen years had passed since he left his hometown. He was twenty-one years old then, and with the ten months of pregnancy, his mother must
have met a strange man about thirty-seven years ago and then conceived him. And this man was very
likely his father.
A smile crept across Da Dong's lips. "If I had been there, I would know who my father is."
Thinking this, he absentmindedly wrote on another blank sheet of paper: "Thirty-seven years ago, evening, Zhujing
Village, Min Da Dong."
As soon as he finished writing, he couldn't help but laugh at his own absurd thought. What era was this? How could
such an absurd thing happen? He took out his lighter and casually burned the paper, throwing it into the ashtray.
The old clock on the wall struck twelve almost simultaneously. Da Dong felt utterly exhausted. Today's experience was truly unbelievable
; this was absurdity! Then he slumped onto the dressing table and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
But unexpectedly, something truly bizarre happened in his dream.
"Whoosh... Boom! Boom!"
A seemingly transparent black train, with several carriages connected, roared in. Da Dong looked around and found himself standing in
front of his old home. Just as he was wondering where the tracks were, the train began to rumble and gradually came to a stop.
An elderly man with a full head of white hair, who appeared to be the train conductor, stepped off the train. He first looked around before staring at Da Dong and coldly
asked, "Want to get on?"
Before Da Dong could react, the old man said in a thick nasal voice, "Give me your ticket."
"Ticket? I don't... I don't have one."
The old man's gaze swept over Da Dong's waist. "Isn't it in your pocket?"
The old man's expression was stern, and Da Dong involuntarily reached into his pocket, only to find a piece of paper. What
surprised him even more was that the paper was the very note he had just burned.
He stared blankly at the white paper in his hand, and couldn't help but ask, "This...how could this be? Where...where are we going?"
The old man snatched the "ticket" from his hand, pressed it down with the tongs, and then beckoned to him, gesturing for him to come on.
Da Dong timidly moved his feet, and the old man shook his head and sighed, "Sir, please don't waste everyone's time.
This train absolutely cannot be late, and everyone must arrive at their destination on time. Come on, get on the train!"
The old man simply pushed him onto the train, and as soon as Da Dong stepped onto the train, it immediately emitted a sharp whistle and
slowly started moving. During the brief acceleration, Yu Jing Village quickly became a dot of light.
A moment later, the old man behind him coughed and said, "This is your first time on this train, isn't it?" He
lit a cigarette and continued, seemingly oblivious, "That means you're unlucky. Only the unluckiest people have the chance
to ride this train."
"Sir, you are…?"
"You just need to know I'm the train conductor." He exhaled a puff of smoke, the blue smoke
spreading rapidly in irregular shapes with the wind. When the gaze returned to the conductor's face, a slight smile played on his lips, his tone neither loud nor soft…
He said, "Remember, don't easily change history; it comes at a price. Some people don't believe it, and end up becoming
regulars on this train, or worse, living in a time that doesn't exist."
He looked at Da Dong, his brow furrowed in a half-smile: "But unlucky people usually want to change the past.
Isn't that a damn contradiction?"
The train conductor seemed unwilling to continue the conversation, snorted, put on his hat, and walked towards
the next carriage without looking back.
Da Dong stood there stunned for a long time, then pinched his thigh hard; the pain made him believe that everything happening now was real
.
He looked down at the note in his hand, which read: "Thirty-seven years ago, evening, Zhujing Village, Min Dadong." 　　( 　　II 　　)
The Origin of 　　the 　　Story 　　****************
... 　　********** 　　...　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The appearance of a woman in this room—it was all such a coincidence. Faced with the unbelievable 　　scene before him, Da Dong couldn't suppress the turmoil in his heart, his whole body trembling. 　　He thought to himself, "Could it really be Mom? If I really have gone back in time, then this woman…" 　　The woman in front of him looked at the overturned chair on the floor and let out a soft "Huh?" She muttered to herself, "Strange? 　　Who was here just now?" 　　That familiar voice… it was his mother, his mother from his younger days. 　　In the instant his mother bent down to right the chair, Da Dong saw her profile. His mother looked so young, her skin 　　smooth and without a single wrinkle, her eyes large and bright, her nose sharply defined, her lips well-defined—her 　　features were perfectly proportioned on this familiar face. 　　Da Dong finally understood why Aunt Chun had said his mother was the most beautiful woman in Zhujing Village; his mother's beauty 　　was equally admirable in his time. As her son, Da Dong felt a sense of pride. 　　His mother sat at the dressing table combing her hair. He couldn't help but 　　smile wryly; it turned out his mother, who loved beauty, often admired herself in the mirror when she was young. A thought suddenly flashed through his mind: "So, Dad will appear too. If 　　I wait patiently, perhaps the mystery of who my father is will be solved." 　　There was a knock at the door. His mother answered, and a man outside said, "Shujuan, it's about to start! 　　What are you dawdling for? It's about to begin!" 　　Da Dong thought, "Shujuan? My mother's name is Shujing, right? I've never heard her change her name or have a nickname 　　. Strange? Who's that person outside? Could it be Dad?" As 　　soon as the man finished speaking, his mother seemed to be electrocuted. She immediately stopped combing her hair, quickly put down the comb, 　　and rushed out the door: "Ah! It's starting? That's my seat, wait..." 　　Da Dong was full of questions. What important national event could be causing such a rush? After a few minutes, he 　　couldn't wait any longer. He tiptoed out from under the bed and cautiously peeked outside. 　　A familiar and nostalgic melody drifted into his ears, and Da Dong was instantly overcome with emotion. He forgot where he was, his whole 　　body stiffened, and he couldn't move. Then, tears welled up in his eyes, and he couldn't hold back his emotions. 　　It was... an unforgettable story, a household name. 　　"Shi Yanwen, the Great Confucian Scholar and Hero of Yunzhou." 　　The words appeared in large characters on the screen. The bygone years, the innocent days, and scenes of childhood memories flooded his 　　mind. The long-sealed memories were unlocked as if a key had been found. 　　Da Dong never expected to see his childhood idol, whom he worshipped, appear alive on the screen. He 　　had watched the replays more than once, listening to the captivating and poignant puppet show songs, imagining himself as the learned and martial, 　　loyal and patriotic Shi Yanwen. 　　The past warmed his heart, and at the same time, it told him: "I have indeed returned to the past. This is not 　　a fake." 　　In front of the old television in the living room, three people were focused and motionless. Remembering the wildly 　　popular program that had once achieved phenomenal ratings, often drawing massive audiences during its broadcast, he was reluctant 　　to leave. But now was the perfect time; his mother didn't know who he was, and it wouldn't be good if she were mistaken for a thief 　　. 　　As he silently walked along the wall through the living room and approached the front door, a two-tongued "Ha-mai" accent made him pause. 　　This pause inadvertently caused the door to creak, startling all three people in the living room who turned around simultaneously. 　　Da Dong, realizing his mistake, quickly said with a burst of quick wit, "Excuse me, I just happened to be passing by... uh... I could 　　n't resist watching for a while... so..." 　　The dark-skinned man who appeared to be the head of the household immediately grinned, "It's alright, it's alright, don't be shy, come in and 　　watch with us, it's almost over!" 　　This was the first time Da Dong had experienced the warmth of human kindness in this era, and unable to refuse such hospitality, he had no choice but to stay. 　　His mother didn't notice the stranger before her; her eyes were fixed on the television.

Only then did he have the chance to carefully examine this relative he had longed for day and night. His mother was still dignified and virtuous;
the woman before him was someone Da Dong had never seen before, so unfamiliar yet so familiar.
Da Dong couldn't help but sigh inwardly, though so close, he couldn't tell her his true identity.
The beautiful time passed quickly, the program came to an end, and Da Dong suddenly returned to reality. Thinking it was
time to say goodbye, the head of the household warmly invited him to stay for a chat, and the conversation drifted to the TV drama plot.
At first, his mother didn't pay much attention to their conversation until Da Dong casually mentioned, "Later,
Shi Yanwen petitioned to go to Xikang to find the jade seal, and captured five cities in succession..."
His mother's almond-shaped eyes widened as she stared at him, asking, "When did this happen? How do you know?"
Da Dong was startled, realizing he had given himself away, and quickly laughed it off, "Uh... I guessed, just making things up
."
She then pondered seriously and said, "He had just been appointed 'Left Vice Minister'... Hmm,
it's possible he did something for the court..."
Having inadvertently revealed a plot that hadn't yet unfolded, Da Dong broke out in a cold sweat.
The mother seemed quite interested in the topic, pressing on, "Which five cities are you referring to?"
Fortunately, the woman beside her stepped in to defuse the situation, "Shujuan, don't frighten the guest. We haven't asked the gentleman yet, you
are…"
"I…uh…I came to visit relatives, but I didn't expect that we haven't been in touch for so long, and they no longer live here
."
"Oh! Which family? Maybe I know."
"Uh…originally…originally lived near Aunt Chun, it's alright, I'll ask someone to look for them again."
"Oh, that's good. It's always better to ask around. I think we get along quite well, and it's getting late
, why don't you stay here for a few days? Maybe you can find out where your relatives are. It's just that
I'm afraid you won't be used to living in the countryside…"
This was indeed a good idea. Da Dong pretended to be polite for a while, but finally agreed to stay.
"Our family name is Min..." Brother Min introduced his family members one by one: "This is my wife, and this is
my youngest daughter, Shujuan."
Da Dong thought to himself, "Youngest daughter? Where's Mom?" "
Are there any other members in the family?"
Brother Min then said, "There's also an older daughter, Shujing, who went to Aunt Chun's house to fetch water and hasn't returned yet. In our family,
she's the only one who isn't interested in puppet shows, haha, I'm really sorry."
Da Dong then realized that his mother had a younger sister. He hadn't had a chance to see her properly under the bed and almost mistook
her for his mother. However, the two sisters looked extremely similar, and the Shujuan in front of him had a more intellectual beauty.
Thinking about it, wasn't Shujuan his aunt? He had never heard his mother mention this younger sister before. Could
there be some mistake? Thinking of this, he couldn't help but ask, "Is the plum rain season a little late this year?"
Brother Min tilted his head and thought for a moment before continuing, "Yes, it really is a little late. In previous years, the humidity was high at this time, and
the elderly people in the village couldn't handle it. This year seems a bit unusual."
The timing was just right, so there was no doubt about it.
At dinner time, the four of them filled the table, a sturdy, heavy wooden table made of high-quality folding wood.
Da Dong couldn't help but lament the decline of traditional values in modern society; such craftsmanship was almost extinct.
The man before him, Brother Min, was his maternal grandfather, whom he had never met. He was kind and hospitable, while his maternal grandmother was quieter but
always smiling. Da Dong thought to himself that his mother, growing up in such an environment, was no wonder she was so elegant and intelligent.
As he eagerly awaited his mother's return, his aunt, Shu Juan, said, "Excuse me, I haven't yet asked your
surname?"
"I... just call me Da Dong."
Shu Jun paused, then continued, "I feel like I've seen you somewhere before. Haven't we met somewhere?"
Da Dong chuckled inwardly. They were all relatives, so it was normal for them to look somewhat alike. "I don't think we've
met. It's funny that people say that everywhere I go."
His grandfather chimed in, "You really do look familiar. I had that feeling from the beginning. If you hadn't said anything, I would have thought you
were a real relative. I might have mistaken you for someone else, and that would have been really embarrassing. Hehe, it's alright. It's
fate that we're sitting here."
His serene grandmother also spoke up, "This young man is quite lucky to have us here. If
you like staying, stay a few more days! Don't be shy, just make yourself at home."
Da Dong was deeply moved. The unbreakable bond between relatives could not be lost even across time and space
. He almost blurted out that this was originally his home, but then the train conductor's words echoed in his mind: "Remember, don't
easily change history..."
Shu Juan, who was beside him, noticed something amiss and asked with timely concern, "Are you feeling unwell? Or... did we
say something wrong?"
"No...no, it's just that your family's sincerity has truly moved me, so...I'm sorry
, I lost my composure."
Tears welled in his eyes, threatening to spill over. Afraid of inadvertently revealing his true feelings, he quickly ran to the door. Just then,
two figures appeared at the door. Composing himself, Da Dong couldn't help but cry out, "Mom..."
************
Late at night, lying on the familiar yet unfamiliar bed, Da Dong stared at the beams of the ceiling, unwilling to fall asleep.
He was afraid that if he closed his eyes and fell asleep, everything would disappear. When he saw his mother, there was a
familiar face beside her—someone he never expected—Old Cui.
Yes, a young and charming Old Cui, a far
cry from the Old Cui he had first met, who was physically disabled.
He remembered that the two of them had been smiling, and it was his sudden appearance that interrupted their conversation.
Although his mother was as beautiful and refined as Shu Juan, she didn't recognize him standing before her, and that feeling was
one of indescribable grievance. He blamed himself for calling her "Mom" in a moment of passion, which naturally
caused inexplicable displeasure in the ears of this unmarried woman.
Although Da Dong made up a reason to brush it off, deep down he desperately wanted to hug her,
to tell her how much he missed her, that she was the only reason he had come here.
"If I really hugged her, I might get the only slap my mother would ever give me in her life? I wonder if I
'll leave a bad impression on her, how awful!"
Unable to sleep, Da Dong felt like he was in a foreign land despite it being his old home. He decided to wander
around the courtyard. He had barely stepped out of the house when he faintly heard voices coming from his mother's room. Driven by curiosity
, he slowly approached the door and heard what sounded like Shu Juan's voice saying, "Is Brother Cui coming to our house to propose marriage?"
"Shh... don't be so loud, it'll be terrible if Mom and Dad hear."
There was a brief silence.
"Old Cui is going to propose to Grandpa?"
Da Dong's heart skipped a beat. He remembered Aunt Chun saying that Old Cui was infatuated with his mother, but the two hadn't married.
After his mother died, Old Cui had even built a small hut in front of her grave, showing his deep affection.
"Marrying someone like that wouldn't be bad, but why didn't it come to that?" These thoughts swirled
in Da Dong's mind, leaving him with a knot in his heart.
"That's not right. That way, Old Cui would become Dad, and Ah Xiong would be a brother. If that's the case,
how come I've never seen Old Cui in all my life?"
After a while, the conversation in the room continued: "Brother Cui dotes on you, everyone in the village
has seen it. Who doesn't think you two are a perfect match? Mom and Dad have no reason to object."
The mother didn't answer, and Shujuan chuckled: "Oh, I know, you're just saying this to make me jealous,
right?"
"Silly girl, what's there to make you jealous?" The two sisters' laughter continued.
"Brother Cui is good in every way, except he's so simple-minded that he's easily deceived. By the way! When
will he come to propose?"
"He only mentioned it to me tonight, I don't know."
"You agreed?"
"No way, how could I agree if he didn't propose?"
The two whispered something else, and after a while, they could hear the mother say, "
Who was that person tonight?"
"Oh, you mean Da Dong? He came here to visit relatives. He said his relatives no longer live here,
and his parents got along very well with him, so they let him stay. He seems quite upright."
"I see." Shu Juan laughed for some reason, "He actually called you 'Mom,' hehe."
The two burst into laughter again, and Da Dong felt increasingly embarrassed outside the door.
"It's strange, though. I was startled at first, but then it felt so familiar. Isn't that
odd?"
"You felt that way too? My parents and I both thought he looked familiar, but we couldn't quite place where we'd seen him before."
"That's what they call fate!" 　　"
But... who... is he..."
"Well... there is..."
Their voices grew softer and softer as they spoke. Da Dong thought that it was probably just the two sisters gossiping about secrets, nothing 　　serious
. Knowing he hadn't left a bad impression on his mother, he felt much more at ease. He quietly slipped back to
bed 　　, feeling relieved 　　, and quickly drifted off to sleep. ********** ... 　　Just as he was congratulating himself on waking up early, he heard Shujuan's voice behind him: "Good morning, Brother Dadong!" 　　Dadong turned around and saw this beautiful woman, whom he should call "Auntie." He waved to her mysteriously, then 　　said softly, "Oh dear, don't call me Brother Dadong, it sounds like a big winter melon. Dadong sounds better." 　　Shujuan hadn't expected Dadong to be so humorous, and she burst out laughing so hard she bent over. 　　Good moods are contagious, and Dadong suddenly realized he hadn't been able to joke around so easily in a long time. Seeing 　　Shujuan's sweet smile, he realized that the early bird catches the worm. 　　Shujuan finally caught her breath and said, "You almost made me laugh myself to death. By the way! 　　What song were you humming just now? It was quite nice." 　　Without thinking, he answered, "Justasiam." 　　"Never heard of it. Who sings it?" 　　"No one sings it, I wrote it myself." Da Dong later realized he'd let something slip and muttered to himself. Air Supplies didn't 　　release their first album 　　until 1976 , which was six years later. "Justasiam" was 　　included on the 1985 album. Even if he'd told Shujuan, she wouldn't know who "Air Supplies" was. But this time 　　he was much smarter and knew how to brush it off without showing any emotion. 　　Shujuan looked incredulous: "Really?" 　　Da Dong could only nod guiltily. 　　"Such a beautiful melody, the lyrics must be beautiful too, right?" 　　"Uh... I vehadalotofbigdreams, I vema 　　dealotofbadmoves, I know you could walk 　　way, but you never... I mnoteatasitouterstead 　　, but youhold your way, and you say your love 　　, just... I've forgotten the rest a bit, 　　I need to think about it. I'll tell you when I remember." 　　"Such beautiful lyrics! You must tell me when you remember! It's a promise!" 　　"Yes, it's a promise." Da Dong prayed tremblingly that this song wouldn't change history. 　　"Shujuan likes Western songs." Their mother, who had appeared behind them unnoticed, had probably overheard their conversation 　　and strolled closer. 　　"Is there a story behind such romantic songs?" 　　Da Dong never lied to his mother. Seeing her deep gaze, he became nervous. "A... 　　story, uh...I'll tell you all at once." 　　The two sisters burst into laughter simultaneously. Da Dong inwardly cursed himself for saying the wrong thing again. His 　　mother, trying to suppress her laughter, said, "You're more interesting than you appear. It seems our family will have much 　　more laughter from now on!" 　　Seeing his mother so happy, Da Dong was deeply moved, his heart aching at the thought of his elderly mother living 　　alone under the same roof. If he could make her happy every day, even if changing history required sacrifice...

He was willing to pay any price.
He knew that since returning to his hometown, his inner emotions had been on the verge of collapse. At the time, he didn't quite know
why he had become so sensitive, but seeing the young and vibrant Shujing, radiating youthful energy and living a simple yet
contented life, Da Dong finally understood. It was because he deeply loved his mother that he realized that if she could live like this, she wouldn't be
alone at the end of her life—the greatest failure for a son, a fate he had unfortunately experienced.
The thought of his mother being completely unaware of the tragic future she faced,
the contrast between these two extremes, made Da Dong's heart clench with anguish.
Suddenly, the two sisters stared at him blankly, abruptly pulling Da Dong back to reality.
Shujuan sighed and said, "You're such a crybaby. There must be a touching
story behind this song, right?"
He glanced at his mother, his emotions overflowing. "Seeing you two so happy and carefree
reminds me of my own mother… I'm sorry… I've let her down so much." He choked up as he spoke,
looking up at the sky and taking a deep breath to try and stop his grief, but the more he tried to control himself, the more he couldn't
. The pressure of his sorrow nearly broke him.
The two sisters, unable to bear it, almost simultaneously stroked his arms. Shujuan's eyes also reddened. "You must miss
her terribly. If she knew, I believe she wouldn't blame you."
His mother nodded, moved by the sincerity of the young man before her. She wanted to comfort
him. "Yes, Mom would never blame you, my child. All parents feel the same way."
Hearing his mother's words, Da Dong wanted nothing more than to throw himself into her arms and cry his heart out. He realized once again
how cruel it was for the closest distance to feel like the furthest separation.
Perhaps it was the bond between mother and son; Shujing sensed his sorrow and gently embraced him,
stroking his head as if comforting a child. Everything happened so naturally. This was a moment Dadong had longed for for thirty-seven years; his mother's love
was undoubtedly the best medicine for him.
At the same time, they suddenly heard Shujuan cry out in alarm, "Sister!"
Following Shujuan's gesture, their mother saw Old Cui standing angrily behind them. Dadong also saw
Old Cui's eyes blazing with fury and thought, "Oh no!" Ah Xiong's words echoed in his mind: "My dad is hot-tempered and often
loses his temper..."
Old Cui clenched his fists, his emotions surging, on the verge of exploding. His mother wanted to call out to him but hesitated, and the next second, Old
Cui ran off without looking back.
Shujuan anxiously chased after him, shouting, "Brother Cui, Brother Cui, it's not what you think,
Brother Cui..."
Only to hear her mother's gentle voice urging her, "Let him go."
Shujuan and Dadong were stunned.
"Sister! Go and explain to him. He's too straightforward and easily gets stuck on things. A little talking will make everything alright!"
The mother, surprisingly calm, said slowly, "If he doesn't believe me, it's no use talking to him." With that
, she went back inside.
For the first time, Da Dong discovered that his usually gentle and quiet mother also possessed a resolute and stubborn side, a noble character
that wouldn't tolerate any questioning.
Da Dong, who had never expected things to turn out this way, couldn't let his mother suffer such an injustice. In his haste, he
told Shu Juan, "I'll go explain to him. You go and persuade Mom... no... persuade Shu Jing."
Just as he was about to run after him, Shu Juan grabbed him desperately, yelling, "You'll only get beaten if you go. It's useless.
Brother Cui won't listen to anything at this time."
Da Dong jumped up and down, "What can I do? It's all my fault, all my fault, you troublemaker! You troublemaker! It's all my fault, you
idiot!" His heartfelt guilt was evident. Shu Juan saw it and felt a
strange affection for this man who was a stranger yesterday. A sincere young man with a pure heart, and an inexplicable sense of familiarity,
all made her look at Da Dong in a new light. Perhaps this was the wonder of fate.
"Let him calm down before trying to explain to him. Don't blame yourself anymore; it wasn't your fault."
However, Da Dong's thoughts were turning negative. He held the stubborn belief that nothing and no one around him ever fared 　　well
.
Wherever he was, whoever got close was doomed. This time 　　, it 　　was confirmed once again. And this was
the first time since he returned to this era that he 　　had the thought of 　　returning home. 　　********** ... 　　He could go back and avoid the mistake, but this was his first time traveling through time, and Da Dong wasn't 　　sure if there would be another version of himself in the future. If there was, he would have to go back even further to 　　warn himself; if not, what would he do? Da Dong's thoughts were in turmoil. 　　"I just want to know who my father is, I just want to see my mother a few more times, but 　　how can I judge what I did that would change history when I know nothing about the past?" 　　Then came more self-contradictions: "After I know who my father is, what should I say to him?" 　　This was another painful situation; Da Dong had never known how to call someone "Dad. 　　" "Are you still thinking about what just happened?" Shu Juan said quietly, and Da Dong remained silent like a stone in a stream. 　　"Brother Cui is a good man. He and my sister have been childhood sweethearts since they were little. 　　Even as adults, they inevitably have their share of arguments, big and small. Don't worry..." 　　Shujuan picked up a small stone and threw it into the stream, then continued, "Those destined to be together will naturally become a couple. Fate is irresistible; what is destined 　　cannot be avoided." 　　Hearing her say this, Da Dong sighed inwardly, "Shujuan is clearly different from my mother in this respect. My mother 　　lived alone in our hometown for fifteen years, which shows her perseverance and noble spirit of not bowing to fate." 　　Shujuan threw another stone into the stream, creating ripples. The light that bounced off made Da Dong's eyes blur 　　.

"Shujuan's personality seems rather fatalistic; she believes in fate and destiny. Perhaps this is
the difference between the eldest and second daughters.
Although her mother seems weak, only he, her son, knows that it's because she never wallows in self-pity when faced with setbacks
. She always insists on living life on her own terms, so you rarely see her shed tears or even look worried."
Da Dong then picked up a sharp, irregularly shaped pebble.
"Perseverance is sometimes like a angular stone; it needs time to be polished before it gradually becomes rounded and reveals its
true value. Is this the reason why my mother's life has been so unusually bumpy?" With
a flick of his wrist, the pebble arced through the air and fell into the stream.
Da Dong glanced at Shujuan; her long, flowing black hair, framed by the sunlight, moved like the wind—a
truly beautiful sight. He was captivated by her beauty.
Their eyes met, and Shujuan's fair face suddenly turned bright red: "Why...why are you looking at me like that? Is there
anything strange about me?"
Realizing his lapse in composure, Dadong quickly looked away: "I...I'm sorry, you looked so beautiful just now,
I was momentarily stunned and...I didn't mean anything by it." "
Look, your face is all red..." Shujuan chuckled, and Dadong couldn't help but laugh along,
thus easing the awkwardness.
She continued, "You must think I'm someone who believes in fate, right?"
Da Dong was taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "How so?"
Shu Juan's smile faded, replaced by a look of reminiscence: "When I was little, a fortune teller looked at my birth chart
and predicted I wouldn't live long. So my parents have always been extra protective of me, and my sister has been neglected because of this
. It's all my fault, and I've always felt I've let her down. But we sisters still have a very good relationship. My sister
loves me very much, and I feel truly blessed. But my sister never knew that as long as she's happy, even if I have to
leave early, even if it means losing my life, I'd be willing to do it."
The sisterly bond was touching. Despite knowing her fate, the delicate Shu Juan displayed unexpected
strength; accepting one's fate certainly requires courage.
"No, you'll live to be a hundred. I believe you'll both be happy; you're both kind and good people. But
why tell me, a stranger, all this?"
Shujuan blushed and lowered her head, saying, "Because sometimes I believe in fate."
At this moment, Shujuan possessed an indescribable charm, and Da Dong's heart raced. He, of course, understood
the unspoken meaning in her words.
"This is the first time I've spoken these heartfelt words. I should thank you instead. It feels so good to say them.
I should have done this sooner." Shujuan raised her hands, smiling brightly.
**********
The misunderstanding between his mother and Lao Cui remained unresolved. For the next few days, Da Dong lived in fear,
struggling between the desire to change or not change the established facts.
Perhaps due to excessive pressure, Da Dong began to experience numbness and discomfort throughout his body, but it
was only occasional. At first, Da Dong thought it was a side effect of time travel and didn't mind.
But Shujuan insisted that he go to the pharmacy, dragging him to the village entrance no matter what.
"This is it." Shujuan pointed to a house in front of her with a large wooden sign that read "Traditional Chinese Medicine" hanging under the eaves .
The sight felt very familiar to Dadong.
After taking his pulse, the old master couldn't find anything wrong. He told him to rest more, prescribed some medicine to reduce internal heat, and instructed him
to stew and drink it regularly.
Leaving the clinic, passing a small grocery store, Da Dong gazed at a brand-new "Tobacco and Alcohol" sign.
He exclaimed in amazement, as if he'd struck gold, "Wow! I've never seen such a new Tobacco and Alcohol Monopoly Bureau sign in my life! But
it's better if it's a bit worn out; it might fetch a better price online."
"What online? What price?"
Da Dong ignored Shu Juan's questions, looking intently at the white sign with blue lettering.
Above "Tobacco and Alcohol" were the words "Taiwan Provincial Tobacco and Alcohol Monopoly Bureau" in red. Da Dong stared at it for a while, nodding and then shaking
his head, thinking, "Sigh! After the 'frozen province' policy in 1999, Taiwan Province was gone."
His eyes swept into the store, and there it was—a case of red-labeled rice wine! Da Dong strode inside
and spotted the familiar "Taiwan Beer," even asking the owner if it was from the "Jianguo Brewery."
Unfortunately, he didn't have any copper coins from that era, and after staring blankly for a long time, he reluctantly left.
Shujuan looked at him suspiciously the whole way, but Da Dong didn't explain much until they sat on the green grass of a small hill. Then,
in a magnetic tone, he slowly said, "Do you know what my biggest takeaway from coming here is?"
Shujuan shook her head patiently, waiting for him to continue.
"Cherish! Learn to cherish." He looked intently at Shujuan, hoping she would understand what he meant:
"People must learn to cherish, especially those things that seem commonplace, those
things that are overlooked because of habit. Once lost, you can only recall them from afar, and finally, under the giant wheel of trends,
you can relive them under the slogan of 'retro,' but that has already been tainted by commercialism, losing its original flavor. Memories shouldn't
be fabricated." Shujuan
listened to his story with a mixture of understanding and confusion. Da Dong's tone carried a sense of vicissitude, a quality that could
only be cultivated through many arduous life experiences. The man's eyes seemed to hold countless stories, and his sincerity and
wisdom deeply attracted her.
"My life used to be a mess. I only knew how to complain and blame others. When I encountered setbacks
, I didn't learn from them or try again. I always thought that I failed because of bad luck, and that those who became rich were just lucky.
Sigh... I never even tried, and I only knew how to belittle myself."
The two sat side by side on the grass, watching the afterglow of the sunset. Da Dong was filled with emotion: "If I had known how
to cherish things back then, things wouldn't be like this."
Shu Juan said softly, "You've learned to cherish things now?"
"Of course. If those lost things were to reappear before your eyes, you would realize how much you've truly lost. By then,
it would be too late."
Shu Juan glanced at him thoughtfully and said, "Then... please cherish me."
Da Dong trembled as if struck by lightning, staring blankly at her, his mind blank and buzzing. Time seemed to stand still.
The Buddha stood still, and the world consisted only of him and Shujuan before him.
Over the past few days, he had developed special feelings for Shujuan, but he had never confronted these
feelings directly. Shujuan was clearly more courageous in facing herself than he was. Perhaps recognizing the brevity of her life made her more
conscious of its preciousness, and she would resolutely pursue what she wanted.
When their eyes met, her gaze was resolute yet tinged with fear. She was his mother's sister, his aunt … Da Dong understood how much 　　courage
it took to make such a frank confession in this conservative era . 　　He wasn't sure what to do, but his feelings for her were more than just gratitude. "Shujuan… 　　I…" 　　In the instant before he could react, Shujuan's soft, moist lips pressed against his. 　　His last shred of reason vanished at that moment. 　　That moment felt like an eternity, yet also like a fleeting instant, as if it could vanish at any moment. 　　The emotions burning within Da Dong, long dormant, needed an outlet, like a raging storm. Her arrival was like flipping a switch, opening 　　the floodgates. The intense, yet pent-up feelings surged forth like a whirlwind. He couldn't help but return a passionate embrace 　　, and their light kisses transformed into a deep exploration. 　　Shu Juan closed her eyes, fully immersing herself in the experience. The man's strong arms gave her an unprecedented 　　sense of security. Her last shred of restraint crumbled instantly, and the tactile sensations of desire became as ethereal as clouds, almost 　　intoxicating. Only the intertwining of their tongues brought her salvation. 　　Their entwined bodies writhed on the green grass. Da Dong's unleashed desire transformed into a wild beast, touching 　　every sensitive nerve in Shu Juan—on her full breasts, on her soft, slender waist, in 　　the moments of skin-to-skin contact, and on the tips of their tongues. 　　Their lips parted briefly, and Shujuan, her eyes misty, gazed at him with deep affection and shyness, 　　whispering in his ear in a trembling voice, "If I am destined to belong to you, it must be fate." 　　It was the most melodious note; her devotion seemed to melt Da Dong's soul. His heart surged with excitement, 　　primal desires churning within him. A gentle and passionate woman had entered his life so naturally and instantly. 　　He didn't want to think too much, for it was exactly what he desperately needed. 　　When Shujuan offered her lips again, Da Dong tried to understand her body. Though not a seasoned lover, he did 　　his best to please her. Shujuan's trembling, half-naked body shone alluringly in the sunset, her breathing heavy and increasingly disordered 　　. Her 　　alabaster-like body was so graceful and captivating; no man could resist holding it in his hands and caressing it. Da Dong, of course, 　　was no saint either. 　　The alluring prelude urged them towards the climax, and Da Dong followed his instincts, 　　not forcing anything. He slowed the pace with the greatest self-control he had ever possessed; it was the decisive moment. Then, he slowly thrust 　　in. Shujuan's brows furrowed, her fingers firmly embedded in his skin, and she wholeheartedly endured it. The two finally became perfectly 　　one. 　　"Ugh..." The intense pain gradually subsided, replaced by the release of her senses. 　　The gradual process was relatively short; one was a wild horse galloping across the grassland, and the other was like a vast, endless 　　grassland—everything was perfectly coordinated. 　　"Dong...love me...oh...oh..." 　　The wild horse was finally transforming into a beast. Shujuan's round, firm breasts bloomed and swayed freely. 　　The way she lightly bit her lower lip seemed both pain and a kind of experience. Da Dong finally couldn't help but let out a loud horn. 　　"Ugh...oh...oh..." The moment of climax arrived. The two embraced tightly, continuing the final 　　melody of their duet. 　　Afterwards, Da Dong tenderly stroked her face, considerately draped clothes over her, and held her delicate body tightly 　　. Shu Juan shyly hid against his chest, unable to meet Da Dong's burning gaze. 　　He wanted to say something to express his true feelings, but under the stirring of their hearts, he felt that 　　silence spoke louder than words. 　　The sun had long since set, and it was the transition between spring and summer. The croaking of frogs and the gentle breeze were intoxicating 　　. 　　Just as everything was so beautiful, Da Dong suddenly stiffened and felt extremely uncomfortable. Shu Juan sat up in fright. 　　"What's wrong? Is it happening again?" Then her arms went numb and lost feeling, and the pain contorted her expression. Shujuan, 　　in a panic, burst into tears, not knowing what to do. She anxiously said, "Quick, I'll help you back. I'll make you some medicine." 　　Somehow 　　, feeling gradually returned to her arms, the numbness subsided, and Da Dong managed a weak smile to comfort her, "Don't panic, I'm fine." 　　"Don't try to comfort me. This has been happening more and more frequently these past few days. How can you say I'm fine?" 　　He hugged her tightly. "Did I scare you? I'm sorry… I didn't mean to. As long as I can be with you 　　, this is nothing." 　　These words, instead of comforting her, made Shujuan choke up. "I'm so scared, so scared you 　　'll leave me. Every time you have an attack, my heart feels like it's going to stop. Promise me, never leave me." 　　Although he didn't know what the future held, Da Dong didn't want to hurt her. He lowered his head and kissed her lips, softly saying, "Silly 　　girl, how could I not promise you?" 　　**************** 　　Da Dong lay half-reclined on the bed, pondering the cause of his physical condition, and couldn't help but suspect it was 　　discomfort from his time travel. 　　"But this seems to be happening more and more frequently. At first, my fingers wouldn't obey me, and just now both of my arms 　　went numb. I felt like my whole body was about to collapse." He shook his arms and stretched, but found nothing unusual 　　. He could eat and sleep without any other symptoms, which was puzzling. 　　Shujuan brought the medicine from the kitchen, and Dadong obediently drank the bowl of bitter soup. Seeing her furrowed brows, he lovingly pulled 　　her closer and said casually, "Don't worry, the doctor said it's nothing serious. Look at me, I'm as strong as an ox 　　, no, I should say even an ox isn't as strong as me. I've taken the medicine, so nothing will happen!" 　　When she looked up at him, her eyes were brimming with tears, and she choked out, "Sister is pregnant." 　　Dadong jumped up from the bed in shock. "What? Pregnant? What happened?" 　　Shujuan slowly wiped away her tears and said, "I ran to the kitchen to brew the medicine as soon as I got back, and I saw Sister was also brewing it. "

"The soup, she later said, was for nourishing the fetus and replenishing qi, and asked me to keep it a secret from Mom and Dad."
His mother was already pregnant; needless to say, wasn't the baby in her belly himself? Da Dong subconsciously looked at his
hands, as if catching something: "Is the numbness in my hands because... there are two of me in the same time and space, and I
don't belong here... so..."
The signs were quite obvious; as the embryo in his mother's belly gradually took shape, it affected him as well. A sudden
shock ran through him: "If this continues... I might disappear?"
A thought flashed through his mind, and he hurriedly turned to ask Shu Juan, "Whose child... is it?"
"It's Brother Cui's. That happened some time ago. That's why Brother Cui was in such a hurry to propose marriage.
Who knew what would happen this morning? So I really feel sorry for my sister."
Da Dong's head exploded with a loud "boom," unable to believe for a long time that his father was actually Old Cui! The mystery of his father was finally
solved, yet he felt no joy. He struggled to piece together the whole story: "I remember when Old
Cui first saw me, he acted as if he'd seen me before and called me a heartless man. So… in this
timeline, after what happened this morning, he assumed I had an affair with my mother, and he blamed me? Plus, my mother
didn't want to explain further, and then I couldn't stay here long, so I went back to my own time… that…
is indeed a reasonable explanation." But
upon closer examination, he found a problem: "Then what did Old Cui say? 'Nonsense, when did Shujing
have a child…'?"
Shujuan, seeing his strange expression, couldn't help but interrupt: "What's wrong? Is something amiss
?"
He tentatively asked, "Shujing wouldn't want Brother Cui to acknowledge his family, would she?"
Shujuan looked astonished: "You're amazing! How did you guess?" Sure
enough…
"Tell me quickly."
"My sister said she would give birth to the child alone, but she wouldn't let Brother Cui know it was his flesh and blood. She couldn't easily
forgive Brother Cui for misunderstanding her, so she would lie and say that the child in her womb had died. To make up for this
regret, the baby she actually carried for ten months was said to be adopted."
Seeing his mother's determination not to clear her name, Da Dong couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine: "It
's just a misunderstanding, does he need to spend the rest of his life punishing him?"
Shu Juan shook her head: "My sister said that was just a temporary measure. If Brother Cui were willing to admit his mistake, of course she wouldn't
do this."
Da Dong scratched his head and cursed inwardly: "Damn old Cui! No, this stubborn father, he obviously
won't bow his head and admit his mistake even if he dies. And Mom is really..."
However, this matter shouldn't be so simple. He didn't have much time left, and he became vigilant. The most important
thing right now was to find a way to turn the situation around, even if it meant risking changing history. But for his mother's sake,
he had no choice.
On the other hand, there's Shujuan right in front of him. He suddenly realizes he can't keep his promise to stay with her, and all sorts of problems
arise one after another, leaving him 　　completely overwhelmed.
(III) The Out-of-Control Segment 　　****************
... 　　Regret always follows mistakes. When it was too late, Da Dong, clinging to a sliver of hope, decided to change his fate at all costs and resolutely wrote down 　　the 　　train 　　ticket 　　stub 　　. 　　**************** 　　... " 　　I don't care, don't even think about getting me out of bed." 　　Shujuan's coquettish appearance amused and annoyed Da Dong. He patted the bed board lightly and said seriously, "Is this board sturdy? If things get too intense later, I'm afraid..." 　　She pressed against his chest helplessly and said, "If you really want to... then I can't help it. At most, Mom and Dad will find out, and you'll have to marry me tomorrow." 　　Looking at the charming Shujuan with her warm fragrance, Da Dong couldn't help but feel tenderness. "If possible, marry me now, okay, my wife?" 　　Then the two of them found each other's lips in the dim light. The night was beautiful, the perfect time to express their love and feelings. Under the alluring moonlight, boundless spring colors rose. 　　Since tasting the forbidden fruit for the first time, Shujuan had a completely new understanding of sex. She never knew that the feelings between men and women could be sublimated so much in the body. After lifting the veil of taboo, she realized how pathetic her past yearning for pure love was. 　　The man's fierce and frenzied assault further led her to the blissful world of her own desires, an unparalleled peak. Only after reaching the summit could she see her whole self, fully enjoying the unbridled pleasure. But the descent followed, the climax so fleeting, a moment both instantaneous and eternal. 　　Shujuan felt as if she were being split in two, the powerful thrusts repeatedly trying to rip out her reason, leaving behind a soul yearning to be filled. 　　In the quiet night, no matter how hard they tried to conceal it, the bed still creaked and shook. 　　Dadong forcefully straightened her slender waist, and the two sat in a seated position. The vertical and deeper union made Shujuan even more confused, her naked body yearning to be plundered, longing to be conquered. 　　A blinding white light shone before her eyes, and Shujuan clung tightly to Dadong's back, her body unconsciously responding to his rhythm. The moment of reaching the climax was approaching again. 　　"Mmm...mmm...I want you...love me..." 　　Dadong growled softly, and Shujuan sobbed incessantly. The night quickly returned to calm. 　　************

Da Dong had just opened his eyes when he heard arguing outside the door. It sounded like his mother and father. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly dressed and rushed out of the room.
Shu Juan stood by the door, looking bewildered. His mother was turning to go back inside. Old Cui stood in the sunlight, his face ashen. Seeing Da Dong, his eyes blazed with fury. Pointing at him, he shouted, "Are you so obsessed with this man? This kind of scoundrel has no roots, no conscience. He might disappear tomorrow! What kind of spell has he cast on you to make you blind…?"
Before he could finish, his mother turned and interrupted him, "Blinded by lust, aren't you? Yes, I was blind to be with a man who always doubts me. But that ends today."
As his mother turned back, two tears streamed down her face as she hurried past Da Dong.
Old Cui stood there stunned, while Shujuan anxiously tried to smooth things over: "Brother Cui, things really aren't what you think. You've misunderstood your sister."
Old Cui, a man of such thick skin, couldn't remain calm once his jealousy flared. He glared at Da Dong with murderous intent and said hatefully, "You're so smug, aren't you? I won't let this go easily!" With that, he turned and left without looking back.
Da Dong watched his retreating figure, feeling quite conflicted. His young and hot-blooded father was indeed like a powder keg. He had no chance to explain himself to him under these circumstances, and perhaps never would.
Shujuan sighed as she watched Old Cui's retreating figure. "Brother Cui is truly one-track-minded. When he first came this morning, he was all smiles and tried to talk to my sister about proposing marriage, but when he started talking about what happened that day, his words became increasingly harsh. Of course, my sister was furious and said such foolish things."
Da Dong didn't reply. He knew in his heart that things had reached a historic critical moment. The wound between the two, which had turned from love to hate, was gradually widening, and at an unexpectedly fast pace. At the moment, he could do nothing but feel anxious.
"If Brother Min finds out about this..." Shujuan shook her head, propping her hands up. "I don't know. My sister's temper is just like Dad's. Most of the time she's a nice guy, but when she gets stubborn, no one can reason with her. Mom and Dad will be back soon, sigh, I'm really worried."
Da Dongfang suddenly realized that his mother's personality was inherited from his maternal grandfather. "Then who do you resemble? Your mother?" Before he could finish speaking, Da Dongfang shook his hand again and said, "Never mind, I don't want to know."
Shujuan pouted and said, "They might not tell you anyway."
"Fine, then don't tell me."
"What 'fine'?"
He remembered that this was a common grammar in his time, but he was so upset that he didn't know how to explain it, so he simply ignored Shujuan's question.
"I want to go for a walk, want to come?"
After saying that, he walked towards the door. Shujuan saw that he was preoccupied and followed him. "Wait for me." 　　**********
... 　　He and Shujuan sat side by side on the steep slope, gazing at the distant fields—a rare sight in this beautiful era. Yet, he felt a pang of guilt, lamenting the wasted time and beauty, and a deep sense of helplessness washed over him. 　　"You've been sighing more and more lately," he 　　said. "Really?" He put his arm around Shujuan's shoulder, gently pulling her closer, overwhelmed with emotion. "It's really nice here, but...it just lacks a sense of progress." 　　Da Dong secretly wished he had a cell phone so he could talk to his father directly from the air, avoiding the tense atmosphere of a physical confrontation. Perhaps all the problems could be resolved, even just a voice message would be better than the current predicament. 　　"The countryside is inherently less developed, there's nothing we can do about it..." She seemed to remember something and looked up at Da Dong. "I've never heard you talk about your hometown before, can you tell me about it?" 　　Thinking of the era he knew, Da Dong was surprised that he didn't feel any nostalgia. However, the fact that he was married made him feel guilty towards Shu Juan. He suddenly remembered that she was his aunt in terms of generation, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings. He sighed to himself that a person who always makes mistakes would do the same stupid things in any era. 　　"My hometown has no human touch, just a hectic nine-to-five life. Nobody will miss it." 　　Shujuan stared at him, her eyes wide. "So... you like your current life?" 　　"Of course! Every day feels like a vacation, it's wonderful." 　　Shujuan leaned against him, deeply moved, and said softly, "I always thought you'd leave soon. I was worried about it every day, thinking you wouldn't take me with you when you went back home. I hope that day never comes." 　　A warning bell rang in Da Dong's mind. He had never thought about this. What would happen to Shujuan when he had to go back to his own time? And the symptoms of numbness all over his body... Thinking of this, he subconsciously looked at his hands and said, "Strange? The numbness doesn't seem to have returned these past few days?" 　　"The old doctor in our village is very skilled. He can cure this ailment with a few doses of medicine, right?" 　　Strangely enough, the phenomenon he had initially suspected of being reincarnated into his mother's womb, causing confusion due to having two versions of himself in the same timeline, had now disappeared without a trace, as if it had never happened. Although Da Dong wasn't sure of the reason, he couldn't help but feel overjoyed. This way, he might be able to stay here, and the thought of watching himself grow up made him smile. 　　"Look at you, you were just sighing, and now you're grinning like an idiot." 　　He wanted to share this joy with her, so he hugged her sweetly and said, "Don't guess. With you here, I don't want to leave. The thought of maybe staying here makes me happy!" 　　"Really? You're not lying to me?" 　　He lowered his head and gently kissed her cheek, coaxing her, "Silly girl, when have I ever lied to you?" 　　Shu Juan's face didn't smile. After a long while, she stood up and turned her back to him, pausing before saying, "Wind and Cloud, Thunder and Fire, Ten Thousand Swords, Dusk, Desolation." She suddenly murmured to herself. 　　Da Dong was puzzled and couldn't help but ask curiously, "What are these?" 　　She glanced back and said tenderly, "These five are the five cities that Shi Yanwen conquered in Xikang..." 　　Da Dong was stunned. He thought that after so many days, the plot should have already progressed to this point, but did Shu Juan's words mean that she knew something? 　　Her gaze returned to the distant mountain range, and she said slowly, "You knew all along, didn't you? This isn't something you could guess by guessing. Am I less important to you than you are to me?" 　　He felt as if he had been struck a heavy blow, unsure how to explain himself. 　　"Aren't you going to explain? Or are you speechless?" She turned to look at him. While the heart can easily hide secrets, the eyes are not good at lying. Da Dong's eyes flickered, filled with guilt. 　　"Since we met, you haven't had a single day without looking troubled. Don't I deserve your confiding? 　　How much pain and unhappiness are you in? How long do you intend to hide these things from me? Since this place makes you sad, how can you stay here?" 　　Da Dong had clearly overlooked the fact that women are always discerning. He struggled with whether or not to tell her the truth directly. If he wasn't honest, how could his conscience be at peace? But even if he did tell her, probably no one in this time and space would understand, so he absolutely couldn't tell her the whole story.

"Shujuan..." He stroked her face, gazing at her quietly, trying to minimize any potential harm. "I know it's unfair to you, but I had my reasons..."
Shujuan interrupted him, placing a slender finger to Da Dong's lips, tears welling in her eyes. "I'd rather you said nothing than keep something from me. I've given you my most precious things; don't I deserve your trust?"
She rose and left Xiaoqiu, Da Dong's mind blank. He wanted to chase after her and tell her everything to gain her understanding, but this wasn't something that could be resolved overnight. Watching her frail figure, a deep sense of guilt plunged him back into the abyss of pain.
**********
After leaving Xiaoqiu, Da Dong returned to his hometown to try and talk to his mother, but his grandparents, who had been away for several days, happened to return. Due to the prevailing societal disapproval of unmarried mothers, and to keep his mother's secret, he couldn't find an opportunity to speak with them.
Night falls silently in the countryside, and an eerie silence hangs over the family's dinner. Grandpa noticed something was off with the other three and finally couldn't hold back any longer: "Did something happen while we were away?"
Shujuan put down her chopsticks and forced a smile, saying, "Nothing, we probably got heatstroke from the sun these past few days. Everyone's been feeling lethargic and unmotivated."
Grandpa and Grandma exchanged a knowing glance.
"Da Dong, what's wrong with my two daughters? Is there anything you can't talk about?"
Da Dong had no choice but to cooperate with Shu Juan and try to cover it up: "Uh... Brother Min, it's really nothing. If there's anything, it's that I've caused them some trouble. I'm really sorry to say." "
How could that be? We country folk understand that guests are guests from afar. My two daughters definitely didn't do it because of this."
Shu Jing suddenly put down her chopsticks and said calmly, "It's not their fault. It's a problem between me and Brother Cui. I... I'm pregnant with his child."
The grandparents, who hadn't even swallowed their food yet, were so shocked that they almost choked.
The two women stared at Shujing in astonishment, their faces pale, unable to utter a single word. Da Dong could completely understand their shock, and he closed his eyes in worry, thinking to himself, "Mom... why did you have to..."
"Bang!" Grandpa slammed his hand on the dining table, his voice stern and fierce, "This is outrageous! This
rebellion! This Cui fellow needs an explanation! Someone go find this brat and explain to me what kind of logic this is!" He clenched his fists and repeatedly struck the wall, his anger barely contained.
Grandma was also furious, her voice rising as she said, "Shujing, you've always been sensible and self-disciplined. Even if you're considering marriage, how could you cause such a mess before anything's even settled? What if he doesn't acknowledge it? How will you face anyone in this village after that?"
Unexpectedly, Mother stood up, her voice icy, and said, "I don't need him to acknowledge anything. I gave birth to this child and raised him alone; it has nothing to do with him!"
With that, she turned and ran back to her room, slamming the door shut.
This turn of events finally made Grandpa and Grandma realize something was amiss, and they turned to Shujuan, hoping to find out the truth from her.
Da Dong, unable to bear seeing her blamed, immediately stepped forward to explain, "It's all my fault, all my fault... That day, if I hadn't been so heartbroken because I missed my mother so much, Shu Jing would have kindly comforted me, which unexpectedly led to Mr. Cui's misunderstanding, and things would have come to this. It's all my fault! If you must blame someone, please give this junior a chance to atone."
Grandpa was stunned, and after a long while, he patted his shoulder, his face full of disappointment, and said, "I know you meant well, but...
this has nothing to do with the grave mistake Shu Jing made by getting pregnant out of wedlock." With that, he slowly walked back to his room. In that instant, Grandpa seemed to have aged considerably.
Grandma didn't say a word, only shaking her head and clearing the dishes with tears in her eyes before going into the kitchen.
Soon, only Da Dong and Shu Juan remained at the table, and there was no conversation between them. But Da Dong knew all too well that this matter would unleash an unprecedented storm in this family. A rift had already formed between Grandpa, Grandma, and Mother, and he dared not speculate on how things would unfold.
But his own situation wasn't much better. A crisis of trust had arisen between him and Shujuan, and the relationship between the four family members had been directly or indirectly drastically altered because of him, this "outsider."
He secretly resolved to do something: "This absolutely cannot continue. Before it leads to regret, I must quickly talk to my mother."
Suddenly, he heard Shujuan say softly, "I finally understand why you always care so much about my sister."
"Wh...what?"
"Women have a woman's intuition. The way you look at my sister is just different..."
Da Dong felt a chill run down his spine. Just as he finally understood what she meant, Shujuan left the table before he could explain.
"Oh no! She thinks I... Oh dear! How could this happen?" Da Dong was filled with regret. His return to this timeline was purely by accident, and with his living mother right in front of him, he would naturally look at her with affection. However, he never expected to spark a romance with Shu Juan. And in front of her, Da Dong couldn't help but ask a few more questions about his mother. The misunderstanding on the hill hadn't been cleared up yet, and his act of actually protecting her was seen as offending his mother. He was now like someone who had swallowed a bitter pill.
"Sigh, let's put this matter aside for now. My parents' matter is the most urgent thing. Shu Juan... Sigh, there will always be a chance to explain."
**********
In the still of the night, Da Dong was gazing at the night sky in the courtyard, feeling troubled and annoyed that he hadn't had a chance to talk to his mother. Unexpectedly, his mother came out of the house for some fresh air. Seeing him alone, she sat down on the stone steps beside him. Da Dong's spirits lifted when he saw her.
His mother, her face etched with worry, sat quietly to his side. Da Dong felt a pang of heartache and asked with concern, "Can't you sleep?"
"That's what I should be asking you," his mother said with a faint smile.
"Sigh, should I not have come here? Perhaps it's because of me that you..." "
That's not your problem. Perhaps Brother Cui and I are destined to be apart. Even if we were meant to be husband and wife, knowing beforehand that we wouldn't have enough trust in each other, and avoiding becoming a resentful couple, isn't necessarily a bad thing."
Hearing her say this, Da Dong's words of comfort seemed superfluous, and he was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Brother Cui and I have been in love for many years. I admire his honest and upright character, but falling in love is easy, but staying together is hard. Only when we face real tests can we see how strong our relationship is. As things stand, whether we should continue is still up for consideration."
"Don't you feel a little regret?"
She shook her head, calmly and firmly saying, "What's already happened... if we can avoid future tragedies, it's not a regret. It's just that I'm pregnant with his child, which has led to our current complicated situation."
She paused and continued, "Perhaps you think my thinking is too progressive. I firmly believe that love is the foundation for two people to spend their lives together. If it can't withstand the test, even if you're pregnant, you shouldn't continue to be together. Think about it, isn't it unreasonable for two unhappy people to be tied together?"
Da Dong's stereotype of his mother underwent a new breakthrough. Her views were commonplace in his time, but in this era, his mother could be considered a modern woman. If abortion technology were as advanced as it is in the future, he might not even exist now.
Thinking of this, a chill ran down his spine.
His mother murmured, "But having a child out of wedlock is hard to accept in today's society, in the eyes of societal norms..."
She stroked her hair thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "That's true, but your parents taught us sisters to be independent from a young age. Women are always seen as appendages of men; if they can't support themselves, they'll inevitably end up in a tragic situation. The child is innocent. No matter what the future holds, I will give birth to him, and at the appropriate time, I will teach him the importance of independence."
He remembered his mother's stern instructions when he left home, forbidding him from returning. Facing a similarly difficult fate, Da Dong sighed, realizing he hadn't inherited his mother's strength in this aspect.
"This child...doesn't she plan to let him know who his father is?" he wondered, wondering if his mother had already decided to keep the fact that Old Cui was his father.
But his mother's tone wasn't so certain. "The grudges of the previous generation shouldn't be borne by the next. I just hope I can take good care of him and do everything I can to make up for his lack of a father's love. As for who his father is, I haven't thought about it yet. Let's see what fate brings. Nobody knows what the future holds."
He knew everything about the future. His mother clearly didn't object to him finding out who his father was, so why didn't he know that Old Cui was his dad? Da Dong was almost certain there was a story behind it.
After a brief silence, the mother said again, "Why do I always feel like I've seen you somewhere before? It's strange, do you feel the same way?"
A mother's heart is always connected to her son's, so it's understandable. Da Dong answered without hesitation, "When this child grows up, perhaps you'll know the answer then!"
The mother asked curiously, "Why would I know the answer when the child grows up?"
"About this matter..."
Da Dong stood up and said meaningfully, "You must teach this child to be independent, and let him accompany you. Believe me, he will want to know who his father is."
"Maybe!"
It was late, and as she got up to go back to her room, she turned back and said, "Sometimes I feel like you speak so profoundly, haha, but I will remember what you say."
Watching his mother's back, Da Dong sighed that the wheels of time seemed to turn on their own, leaving no room for human intervention.
The midnight dew made him feel chilly, and he tossed and turned in his cold room, unable to sleep.
That night, Shu Juan did not come to his side; only loneliness accompanied him.
Although he slept fitfully all night, he was already frantically searching for Shujuan before noon the next day. Perhaps she was deliberately avoiding him, because Da Dong had been busy all morning but hadn't seen a trace of her.
He had just walked from the stream toward the hill, thinking she was probably still angry, and resolved to explain things properly when he met her later, when a familiar figure appeared opposite him. The person was also looking him up and down. After a while, when they met face to face, Da Dong suddenly exclaimed as if waking from a dream, "Aunt Chun! You're Aunt Chun?"
The stranger's call startled Aunt Chun. "You...you are?"
Da Dong teased, "I never expected to run into you here. You look so young!"
Aunt Chun stared at the young man, confused. Da Dong didn't care about anything else and blurted out, "Have you seen Shu Juan? Uh...you know, Shu Jing's sister, Shu Juan. Have you seen her?"
"Uh...Shu Juan, the two sisters just went towards the bamboo forest on the back hill. You...you still don't know who you are?"
"Oh, really? That's great! Thank you, Aunt Chun. I'll talk to you later." As soon as he finished speaking, he took off running towards the back hill.
Aunt Chun called out from behind, "Hey... the back mountain isn't that way, it's to the left... it's the road on the left!"
************
Da Dong took a detour, crossing a steep slope before finally reaching the bamboo forest on the back mountain. The lush, dense bamboo swayed in the wind, making a soft "clucking" sound.
He remembered his mother telling him about the bamboo forest on the back mountain when he was a child, with a stone platform near a cliff at its edge. Because few people passed by, there was only a simple fence made of a few wooden strips, so she had repeatedly warned him never to play there.
Looking up at the vast, dense bamboo forest, strolling through it brought a moment of peace to his heart. He had never imagined that his hometown had such a natural summer retreat, and for a moment, he almost forgot the purpose of his visit.
In his exhilaration, Da Dong saw figures in the distance—his mother and Shu Juan.
The two stood by a large, bare stone platform at the edge of the bamboo grove, seemingly talking. It wasn't until they were about thirty paces apart that Shujuan spoke, "Before Brother Cui arrives, sister… I have something I want to tell you."
"There's nothing we sisters can't talk about, why the sudden seriousness?"
Shujuan lowered her eyelids, hesitating for a long time before saying, "Dadong likes you."
This statement shocked her mother and Dadong, who was standing nearby.
Her mother frowned, unable to believe her ears, and asked questioningly, "Shujuan, where did you hear this?"
Shujuan continued, "I know it's hard for you to believe, but please let me finish. I thought about it all night, and finally decided to know your thoughts first, simply because… I deeply love him."
Her mother seemed equally stunned by the sudden turn of events, simply listening quietly as Shujuan recounted her story.
"From the moment he came to our house, I felt a fondness for him, an attraction that's hard to describe. I thought he loved me too. But gradually, I realized that whenever you were in front of him, I felt so insignificant..."
Shujuan choked up, unable to continue. Her mother seemed to be processing her words in her heart, feeling the contrasting emotions of the two women.
"But one of them is my older sister who has always doted on me since I was little. So, I took it upon myself to invite you and Brother Cui here for only one reason: as long as my sister is willing to tell me your decision, no matter what, I will make my own decision, no matter how painful it may be, I will not regret it."
Faced with her sister's sincere confession, her mother said calmly, "You want to know what choice I will make between these two men, right? If I choose to reconcile with Brother Cui, you will do everything in your power to win back Da Dong. If I give up on Brother Cui, you will grant me and Da Dong our wish, is that right?"
Shujuan remained silent, the two understanding each other implicitly.
Da Dong sighed inwardly, "This fool, things aren't like that at all."
He heard his mother stroking Shu Juan's face, comforting her, "Silly sister, love has no order of precedence, nor should it be divided into superior and inferior. Men aren't objects; there's no need to draw lines."
"I know, but I can't help it. I can't give up either my sister or him, so..."
His mother continued, "So you want me to make a choice..."
Before she could finish, Old Cui appeared not far away, walking towards them. His mother saw him, turned to Shu Juan, and said, "Alright! You'll soon find out what I'm going to do."
Old Cui approached his mother and Shu Juan with an awkward expression, neither as intimate as before nor as distant. He looked at his mother with difficulty, and Shu Juan gradually stopped sobbing.
"We've met here, there must be something to say, right?"
His mother stepped forward, her face fearless, and said, "Let's get married!"
The cold tone startled Old Cui, who stammered, "Wh...what?" He cleared his throat, his expression softening considerably, but he still urgently wanted to confirm again, "You mean...we're getting married?"
His mother nodded, while Shujuan, standing to the side, was already in tears. She knew her sister too well; her sister was doing this simply to let her pursue true love.
"Sister...you..."
Before Shujuan could finish speaking, Old Cui's憨笑 (simple and honest expression) suddenly hardened: "But...what about that shameless wild man of yours? Did he just pack up and leave, so you..."
Hearing his father's heartless words, Da Dong finally couldn't hold back and cursed, "Bastard!" He then rushed towards the stone platform.
His sudden appearance caught the three people present off guard. Enemies meeting are especially hostile. Old Cui glared at his mother and angrily said, "I knew it! You were just playing me!"
Da Dong, unable to bear his father's insults to his mother any longer, pointed at him and said hatefully, "You don't deserve Shu Jing's love at all. You're stupid, selfish, and stubborn. From beginning to end, this tragedy was all your own doing!"
Old Cui couldn't bear such accusations, clenching his fists and roaring, "What nonsense are you spouting? All of this is your doing..."
Da Dong immediately retorted, "There's absolutely no romantic relationship between Shu Jing and me. If there were..." He pulled Shu Juan close and hugged her tightly, saying, "Only her, because Shu Juan and I love each other."
Da Dong's words were sincere. At this crucial moment, Shu Juan finally realized that his heart belonged to her. Tears finally overflowed, and all her suspicions and pain vanished in an instant.
Old Cui roared like a madman, "Nonsense! I clearly saw you fall into her arms that day! What I saw with my own eyes can't be easily dismissed with a few words of misunderstanding! You're all putting on a show for me!"
In his rage, Old Cui became even more self-righteous. He grabbed his mother's hand and aggressively questioned, "Shujing, tell me, what have I done to wrong you? Why are you treating me like this? Why? We agreed that after the marriage proposal, I would marry you. It's only been one day, and you've changed completely. What kind of spell has this guy cast on you? What kind of drug has he given you that makes you and your sister protect him in everything? Tell me! Tell me!"
His mother struggled desperately to break free, but the more she tried, the more... The tighter Old Cui gripped her, the more she cried out in pain, "Let go! You're hurting me!"
The truth became increasingly obscure, and the situation took a sharp turn for the worse. In a moment of panic to protect his mother, Da Dong didn't think twice and punched him in the face. Old Cui fell to the ground. His mother, seeing his true feelings in her distress, cried out, "Brother Cui! Are you alright? Da Dong
, stop!" But Old Cui had lost his mind and suddenly lunged at Da Dong. At the last second, Shu Juan pushed him away. A fierce punch struck her lip, and Shu Juan stumbled and fell backward off the stone platform. Da Dong desperately grabbed her hand, but although the fall slowed slightly, it didn't stop. Shu Juan continued to slide down inch by inch.
Old Cui was stunned by the sudden turn of events. His usually calm mother covered her mouth with her hands, completely disoriented. Da Dong, frantic with worry, gripped Shu Juan's hand with all his might, gasping, "Don't let go! Please
...don't let go..."
Hanging in mid-air, Shu Juan looked up at her beloved man, tears welling in her eyes, and slowly shook her head: "So we still have to part in the end..."
Her mother, regaining her senses, cried out repeatedly, "Shu Juan, don't let go! Don't let go!"
With her last ounce of strength, Shu Juan managed a weak smile and softly said to Da Dong, "It's too late...Dong..." "...
Don't forget me...I love you, in...in...the...next...life...see...again..."
Her hand finally slipped, and her slender figure plummeted into the depths of the cliff, like a pebble about to be thrown into a stream. Da Dong's hands hung limply, his mind blank. Her warmth still lingered in his palms. Only when Shu Juan could no longer be seen did he manage to scream in anguish, "Shu Juan...don't go..."
The scream quickly turned into grief, and his wails still echoed in the valley: "Don't go...don't go...don't...
go..."
Old Cui knelt on the ground, staring blankly at his hands, muttering incoherently. His mother had already fainted.
Time seemed to stand still, the air seemed to freeze. Suddenly, Da Dong picked up his unconscious mother and frantically ran back the way he had come. He couldn't remember how his steps had been so chaotic and disorganized, nor how many times he had fallen. His mind was filled with Shujuan's helpless gaze at their parting, and only one intense thought remained in his heart: "I must save her! I must save her!"
He didn't know how much time had passed before Da Dong returned to his hometown and settled his mother in bed. The wall clock showed seven hours until midnight, but those seven hours felt like an eternity. Suddenly, realizing the state of the room, he felt his strength give way, and he slumped weakly to the floor, burying his face in his hands and weeping uncontrollably.
******************************
When Da Dong suddenly opened his eyes, it was already 11 PM. His mother was still fast asleep in bed.
With some time to spare, he sorted out his thoughts, pondering: "Seven hours ago, Shujuan fell off a cliff, so I should go back to eight hours ago. What should I do? I didn't know where she was then... Since Dad kept his promise, Shujuan should be looking for him, so I might run into her near his house, and I won't be there."
Having made up his mind, he found a piece of white paper and wrote on it: "Yesterday, eight hours ago, Zhujing Village, Min Dadong."
After writing the note, he looked at his mother, wondering if she was trapped in a nightmare.
Suddenly, he connected his past memories with his present experience, and everything made perfect sense: "Mom never mentioned she had a younger sister. Perhaps Shujuan indirectly caused her death, so she didn't want to bring up this painful past. If that's the case, I've never seen my father since I was little... He probably spent a long time in prison for manslaughter, and the two of us were unable to marry because of this. 'Hate' then created the story that followed." "
However, he couldn't escape blame either. His mother had warned him not to return home before he left, probably because she feared he might discover the meaning of the words on the wall and, under some unforeseen circumstance, return and repeat the same mistake.
But fate is unpredictable, and the factors that led to the tragedy all seemed to have converged in some mysterious way.
He desperately didn't want Shujuan to leave him like that, and the hatred between his parents hadn't been resolved. Even if he returned to his own time, the only difference would be knowing the cause and effect.
Looking in the dressing mirror, he finally understood the circumstances under which he had written those words, and now he had the opportunity to make a change."
"If I hadn't left these words, perhaps I could have stayed with my mother, but..."
He thought of Shujuan's devoted love and felt a pang of guilt. "But I'll never know anything about Shujuan again. She stayed in my heart; I can't pretend nothing happened. Without the future me, there would be no present me. If I don't leave anything now, will she be absent from my memory?"
Da Dong couldn't accept the fact that Shujuan had passed away. Every action leaves a trace, and Shujuan's love was deeply etched in his heart.
He found a thin piece of charcoal under the kitchen stove and quickly wrote words on the wall behind the dressing mirror. The clock finally struck twelve. He lit the note, earnestly hoping, "Future me, you must find these words."
He looked at his mother's face one last time, vowing to clear up his parents' misunderstanding. Then, his eyelids grew heavier, and in the last sliver of clarity, he murmured, "Shujuan... wait for me."
(To be continued
)

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